Pattern selecting mechanism



Jan. 16, 1934. e. H. WHITE PATTERN SELECTING MECHANISM 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Jan. 3, 1933 Jifarnqy-s.

Jan. 16, 1934. a. H. WHITE PATTERN SELECTING MECHANISM Filed Jan. 3, 1933 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 fnvenaar w 3 b b 675672 wife iffazweya Jan. 16,

G. H. WHITE PATTERN SELECTING MECHANISM Filed Jan. 5, 1933 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Jan. 16, 1934. c. H. WHITE PATTERN SELECTING MECHANISM Filed Jan. 3, 1933 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Patented Jan. 16, 1934 1' tries PATTERN SELECTENG MECHANISM George Herbert White, Hartford, Conn, assignor to Ghes'ter A. P lacomic, Chicago, Ill.

Application .lanuary 3, 1933. Serial No. 649,800

13 Claims.

My invention relates to improvements in pattern selecting mechanisms for use in connection with type casting and type selecting machines and the like and has for one object to provide a new and improved form of plunger carriage which will transmit the motion of the so-called shutter actuated by the key of a typewriter to the desired plunger in the pattern bed. Other objects will appear from time to time throughout the specification and claims.

My invention is illustrated more or less diagrammatically in the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure l is a diagrammatic side elevation of a part of the apparatus with which my invention is used;

Figure 2 is a side elevation in part section on an enlarged scale of the plunger arm 02,1! r age and associated parts;

Figure 3 is a plan view of the plunger carriage and arm and the tracks along which they travel;

Figure 4 is a detail plan view on an enlarged scale showing part of the plunger carriage and part of the pattern bed;

Figure 5 is a section on an enlarged scale similar to Figure 2 showing the parts in a different position;

Figure 6 is a section along the line 6-6 of Figure 5;

Figure '7 is an outside view of the supporting frame with parts omitted;

Figure 8 is an end view of the frame shown in Figure 7;

Figure 9 is a side elevation in part section showing the carriage as indicated in the position in Figure 5;

Figure 10 is a section along the line 10-10 of Figure 9.

Like parts are indicated by like characters throughout the specification and drawings.

A is the horizontal main frame of the machine; A the vertical main frame; A the pattern bed supporting frame; A the pattern bed; A the plunger carriage frame; A the shutter bed frame; and A the typewriter, which mounted on the shutter bed frame, actuates the shutters.

The various elements of the machine are described in co-pending applications. The features which are specifically described and claimed in this application are the elements of the plunger carriage and its associated parts.

B is a horizontal track. It is mounted on the side members of the plunger carriage frame and comprises a rigid metal bar extending across the machine from side to side of rectangular cross section, the major axis of the cross section being vertical, the minor axis being horizontal. Adapted to travel along this track is a plunger carriage B having at its upper edge two flanged 0 rollers B to engage the upper edge of the track, at its lower end a single flanged roller B to engage the under edge of the track. B is a drive pin mounted on the carriage adapted to receive drive to move the carriage back and forth along 5 the track. Details of this driving forming no part of this present invention are not illustrated.

The carriage B has a downwardly and a laterally inclined web B which extends beneath the track B. Mounted on this web is a threaded pin B having a lock nut 18 so that this pin may by rotation be moved in a direction perpendicular to the web 13 to raise and lower the overhanging grooved'arm or spring anchorage B 3 is a stop pin threaded in the web B and having a lock nut B The plunger guide comprises two nested channels C, C punched out along their length for lightness, the channel C being much deeper than the channel C and having a curved bottom; the 0 channel C having a flat bottom or web perpendicular to the flanges. The channel Ck is nested inside the channel 0 and welded in place so that the flanges of the channel 0 extend out beyond the flanges of the channel C One end 5. of the plunger guide is rigidly attached to a transverse member or head C which carries the guide pins C C adapted to slidably engage the guide perforations in the web B whereby the plunger guide is supported on the plunger carriage and held by these pins against rotation about its longitudinal axis, the stop pin 13 being adapted to engage an anvil C to limit the upward movement of the plunger guide under the influence of the spring G which spring is anchored at one end on the member B and at the other end on the channel 0 as indicated in Figure 9. At the other or lower end the plunger guide is provided with a supporting head C which is rigidly attached to the channels 0 C and carrying a single long 0 roller C whose axis is parallel with the longitudinal axis of the guide. This roller travels along the fixed track C being free to roll therealong and at the same time being free to be displaced longitudinally thereacross. Above the roller and 5 beyond the track C is a roller C Whose axis is perpendicular to the axis of the plunger guide and which engages a movable track C which track may be moved by means not here shown as it forms no part of the present invention, to dis- 1 place the plunger guide longitudinally with respect to the plunger carriage. The pin C it will be noted, is flattened as indicated in Figure and the hole which it engages in the web B is rectangular as indicated at C so that lateral expansion and contraction of the various parts may take place without causing any binding of the pins in the web. The head C is apertured as at C so that the spring C may pass through without interference to work between the arm B and its anchorage on the channel 0.

The upper and lower flanges of the outer larger channel C are provided with longitudinal aligned rectangular apertures D D The upper flange is provided with a series of apertures D one for each aperture D D is a cover plate which is screwed to the upper surface of the plunger arm and overlaps and partially closes all of the apertures D A plurality of plungers D are located within th apertures D D the apertures D being of substantially the same length as the width of that part of the plunger which engages them; the apertures D being both wider and longer than that part of the plunger which engages them. Each plunger is notched as at D so as to have a laterally extended face D and each plunger tapers as at D down to a hook D The plungers may be rotated about their longitudinal axes so that the plunger may be inserted in the apertures D When this is done then the plate D is put in place and constrains all the plungers to a position where they are generally parallel with the axis of the arm though free to move in a direction parallel with their longitudinal axes and perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the plunger arm. Springs D engage the hooks D at one end and the apertures D These springs are inclined both laterally and longitudinally with respect to the plungers so that the plunger guide to parallel movement.

is free to reciprocate longitudinally against the tension of the spring and also. is free to move at its lower end both transversely and longitudinally against the tension of the spring. Each plunger is thus separately mounted, separately supported and free to move separately and independent of the other plungers.

The tracks 13 and C form the ends of a rectangular frame E, which frame is of course inclined to the horizontal as indicated especially in Figure 1. A cable E anchored as at E in a clockwise direction over a sheave L at the upper end of the plunger guide over a sheave E in a counter clockwise direction at the other end of the plunger guide down around a stud E on the 1 frame E, thence over a guide stud E on the frame E, thence to an adjustable anchorage E", thence over a guide stud E a stud E then over a second pulley E in a counter clockwise direction at the upper end of the plunger guide, over a pulley E in a clockwise direction over the plunger guide and thence to an anchorage E on the frame E. It will be understood that this cable traveling over the sheaves as indicated serves as a parallel movement device to constrain the plunger Manipulation of the cable at the anchorages E E and E is possible to adjust the relation of the two elements of the cable to make an initial adjustment so that the plunger guide may be maintained at all times parallel with the axis of the rigid frame E. It will be understood that longitudinal movement of the plunger carriage along the track causes transverse movement of the plunger guide along parallel lines, and parallel motion mechanism, however, being associated only with the plunger guide and not with the plunger carriage.

F indicates a series of pivoted shutters. These shutters are pivoted on the frame A and are adapted to be rotated about their pivot point by means of pull rods F bell crank levers F and pull rods F which are manipulated in response to manipulation of the typewriter keys F Springs F resist the rocking of these shutters. In Figure 2, it will be noted that rotation of the shutter brings it against one of the plungers and pushes the plunger downwardly. It will also be noted that the width of the contact surfaces D on the plunger is such that each plunger is engaged and depressed by its associated lever whether the plunger guide is in the upper or the lower position.

G is a pattern bed frame. It is made up of a series of transverse members G and longitudinal members G interlocking to form a honeycomb or series of separate cells. In each cell is a pattern stop (3- There is a row of pattern pins longitudinally in the pattern bed corresponding to each escapeinent position of the typewriter carriage as indicated in Figure i. There is a plunger in the plunger guide corresponding to each key on the typewriter keyboard. It will be noted that there are in each row of such pattern pins, two pins associated with each plunger. The plunger when the guide is in the upper position engages one pin, when in the other position engages another. As indicated in Figure 2, the plunger is depressed to engage an upper pin of a pair and as indicated in Figure 5, the plunger is depressed to engage a lower pin of the pair, because in Figure 2 the plunger guide is in the upper position and in Figure 5 the plunger guide is in the lower position. Thus there are half as many plungers in the plunger guide as there are rows of pins across the pattern bed, Each row of pins across the pattern bed correspond to the characters on the ordinary typewriter key, there being always two characters on the key, one writing when the key is depressed without the use of the shift, the

other writing when the shift is used. The same thing prevails in this invention. When the plunger guide is in the normal upper position, depres sion of the key causes a pin associated with a small case character to be depressed. When the guide is shifted to the lower position, it causes a pin associated with the upper case character to be depressed. The shutters, it will be understood, do not move except in their normal rotary fashion and that movement takes place just the same whether the shift has been made or not. It will be understood also that the plunger guide moves back and forth across the pattern bed with the typewriter carriage and one movement of the typewriter key causes a depression of one pin in the row of the pattern bed corresponding to the transverse position of the plunger carriage, so that the operator by manipulating the typewriter may select any pin in the pattern bed to be de pressed depending on his control of the position of the plunger carriage transversely, depending upon his control of the longitudinal position of the plunger guide and depending upon his selection of the particular shutter which may be depressed to displace the desired pattern pin.

I claim:

1. In a pattern selecting mechanism, two parallel fixed tracks, a carriage constrained for movement along one of them in a direction parallel therewith, a plunger guide mounted on said carriage for longitudinal movement with respect thereto in a direction perpendicular to the track and a support between the free end of the guide and the other track movable both longitudinally and transversely thereof,

2. In a pattern selecting mechanism, two parallel fixed tracks, a carriage constrained for movement along one of them in a direction parallel therewith, a plunger guide mounted on said carriage for longitudinal movement with respect thereto in a direction perpendicular to the track and a support between the free end of the guide and the other track movable both longitudinally and transversely thereof, the carriage including two rollers engaging one side of the track and one roller engaging the opposed side of the track at a point intermediate the first two, the rollers being flanged.

3. In a pattern selecting mechanism, two parallel fixed tracks, a carriage constrained for movement along one of them in a direction parallel therewith, a plunger guide mounted on said carriage for longitudinal movement with respect thereto in a direction perpendicular to the track and a support between the free end of the guide and the other track movable both longitudinally and transversely thereof, the carriage including two rollers engaging one side of the track and one roller engaging the opposed side of the track at a point intermediate the first two, the rollers being flanged, the plunger guide being inclined to a plane perpendicular to the axes of said rollers.

4. In a pattern selecting mechanism, two parallel fixed tracks, a carriage constrained for movement along one of them in a direction parallel therewith, a plunger guide mounted on said carriage for longitudinal movement with respect thereto in a direction perpendicular to the track and a support between the free end of the guide and the other track movable both longitudinally and transversely thereof, yielding means interposed between the plunger guide and the carriage to resist longitudinal movement of the guide.

5. In a pattern selecting mechanism, two parallel fixed tracks, a carriage constrained for movement along one of them in a direction parallel therewith, a plunger guide mounted on said carriage for longitudinal movement with respect thereto in a direction perpendicular to the track and a support between the free end of the guide and the other track movable both longitudinally and transversely thereof, there being a plurality of sliding connections between the carriage and the guide spaced longitudinally of the carriage.

6. In a pattern selecting mechanism, two parallel fixed tracks, a carriage constrained for movement along one of them in a direction parallel therewith, a plunger guide mounted on said carriage for longitudinal movement with respect thereto in a direction perpendicular to the track and a support between the free end of the guide and the other track movable both longitudinally and transversely thereof, the support comprising a roller on the free end of the guide in rolling and sliding contact with the track.

'7. In a pattern selecting mechanism, two parallel fixed tracks, a carriage constrained for movement along one of them in a direction parallel therewith, a plunger guide mounted on said carriage for longitudinal movement with respect thereto in a direction perpendicular to the track and a support between the free end of the guide and the other track movable both longitudinally and transversely thereof, means independent of the longitudinal movement of the plunger guide for constraining it to parallel movement as it travels along the track.

8. In a pattern selecting mechanism, two parallel fixed tracks, a carriage constrained for movement along one of them in a direction par- 5 allel therewith, a plunger guide mounted on said carriage for longitudinal movement with respect thereto in a direction perpendicular to the track and a support between the free end of the guide and the other track movable both longitudinally and transversely thereof, means independent-of the longitudinal movement of the plunger guide for constraining it to parallel movement as it travels along the track, said means comprising cables anchored beyond the extremes of plunger guide movement, sheaves adjacent the opposed ends of the plunger guides over which said cables travel, the cables extending from the anchorage to one of the sheaves about it in a clockwise direction, across to the other sheave, about it in a counter-clockwise direction and then to the anchorage adjacent the opposed end of the guide and the opposed end of its travel.

9. In a pattern selecting mechanism two parallel fixed tracks spaced widely apart one located above the other, the upper track comprising a relatively thin elongated metallic strip whose major axis is generally vertical, a carriage including two flanged rollers engaging the upper edge of said strip and a single flanged roller engaging the lower edge of said strip, a plunger guide mounted for longitudinal movement on said carriage and downwardly inclined toward the second track, a roller on the free end of said guide in rolling lateral and sliding longitudinal contact with said track, yielding means for holding the plunger guide at the upper end of its longitudinal excursion, means in opposition to said yielding means for longitudinally displacing it.

10. In a pattern selecting mechanism two parallel fixed tracks spaced widely apart one located above the other, the upper track comprising a relatively thin elongated metallic strip whose major axis is generally vertical, a carriage including two flanged rollers engaging the upper edge of said strip and a single flanged roller engaging the lower edge of said strip, a plunger guide mounted for longitudinal movement on said carriage and downwardly inclined toward the second track, a roller on the free end of said'guide in rolling lateral and sliding longitudinal contact with said track, yielding means for holding the plunger guide at the upper end of its longitudinal excursion, means in opposition to said yielding means for longitudinally displacing it, and means for constraining the plunger guide to parallel movement along the tracks independent of its longitudinal movement.

11. A plunger guide for pattern selecting mechanisms and the like comprising two nested channels, the flanges of the outer deeper channel being Wider than and projecting in the same direction as the flanges of the inner channel, the flanges being joined adjacent their outer edges, there being a plurality of relatively narrow longitudinal slots located in alignment in the wider flanges generally parallel with the axis of the guide, the slots in the two flanges being in alignment.

12. A plunger guide for pattern selecting mechanisms and the like comprising two nested channels, the flanges of the outer deeper channel being wider than and projecting in the same direction as the flanges of the inner channel, the

flanges being joined adjacent their outer edges,

brackets rigidly attached to each end of the guide,

a bearing roller rotatably mounted on one of them in general alignment with the guide and a plurality of pins parallel with theaxis of the guide and projecting from the other bracket, said pins being spaced on opposed sides of the axis of the arm.

13. A plunger guide for pattern selecting mechanisms and the like comprising two nested channels, the flanges of the outer deeper channel being wider than and projecting in the same direction as the flanges of the inner. channel, the flanges being joined adjacent theirouter edges, a bracket rigidlyattached to one end of the guide and a bearing roller rotatably mounted on the bracket and in general alignment with the guide.

14. A plunger guide for pattern selecting mechanisms and the like comprising two nested channels, the flanges of the outer deeper channel being wider than and projecting in the same direction as the flanges of the inner channel, the flanges being joined adjacent their outer edges, a bracket rigidly attached to one end of the guide and a plurality of parallel pins mounted thereon and projecting therefrom in general parallelism with the guide.

15 In a pattern selecting mechanism, a plunger guide comprising two parallel opposed relatively thin members, a plurality of aligned, spaced, slots in each, a pattern selecting plunger slidable in each pair of slots, apertures in one of said members and a spring, one end of which penetrates said aperture to form an anchorage therewith, the other end of which engages the plunger at .a point between the two parallel members to yieldingly draw it upward.

16. In a pattern selecting mechanism, a plunger guide comprising two parallel opposed relatively thin members, a plurality of aligned, spaced, slots in each, a pattern selecting plunger slidable in each pair of slots, apertures in one of said members and a spring, one end of which penetrates said aperture to form an anchorage therewith, the other end of which engages the plunger at a point between the two parallel members to yieldinglydraw it upward, there being a notch in'one side of the plunger adjacent its head, an edge of the thin member upon which the spring is anchored penetrating said notch to form with it a positive stop to limit the up and down movement of the plunger.

17. In a pattern selecting mechanism, a plunger guide comprising two parallel opposed relatively thin. members, a plurality of aligned,

spaced, slots in each, a pattern selecting plunger slidable in each pair of slots, apertures in one of said members and. a spring, one end of which penetrates said aperture to form an anchorage therewith, the other end of which engages the plunger at a point between the two parallel members to yieldingly draw it upward, a hook integral with the plunger upon which the spring is mounted, the plunger increasing in width gradually from the hook toward its head.

18. A plunger for pattern'selecting mechanisms and the like comprising a relatively flat thin plate having a working head at one end, there being a notch in one edge of the plate beneath the head extending an appreciable distance downwardly from the head, the width of the plate below the notch being greater than the width at the notch, the width of the plate increasing downwardly frorn said notch toward the reduced lower end of the plunger, a hook integral with the plunger adjacent th reduced lower end thereof.

19. In a pattern selecting mechanism, a plung-- er guide comprising two parallel opposed rela tively thin members, a plurality of aligned, spaced, slots in each, a pattern selecting plunger slidable in each pair of slots, apertures in one of said members and a spring, one end of which penetrates said aperture to form an anchorage therewith, the other end of which engages the plunger at a point between the two parallel members to yieldingly draw it upward, the line of tension-of the spring with respect to the plunger being downwardly inclined in the plane of the plunger and laterally inclined in a direction transverse to the line of the plunger.

GEORGE HERBERT WHITE. 

